


Unclaimed

by Thaliana



Series: Unclaimed 'Verse [1]
Category: Glee
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-14
Updated: 2017-01-05
Packaged: 2017-12-03 22:41:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/703434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thaliana/pseuds/Thaliana
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a world where everyone is either a Dom or sub, those who aren’t in a relationship are at a disadvantage.  Blaine is a Dom and Kurt is a sub.  They have been friends since high school, though they were in claims with other partners.  After finding themselves suddenly without partners at the same time, they enter into a claim of convenience.</p><p>You can find the original Unclaimed at http://gleedsm.livejournal.com/951.html?thread=73399</p><p>Also, the entire original story is also archived at: http://klaineficspdfs.tumblr.com/post/32149983256</p><p>NEW NOTES: Unfortunately, some people persist in reading content that is offensive to them, even after being warned.  Thus, I will have to moderate comments on my stories from now on.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I will slowly be updating/editing Unclaimed and posting it here. First chapter was published April 14, 2014.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the first chapter of the updated Unclaimed. I'm posting it today since today is the two year anniversary of the first chapter being posted on the GleeDSM. I thought it would be kind of poetic to start posting it on the same day.
> 
> Only caution is, PLEASE don't expect me to get the chapters up at the same frantic pace I did then. I'm going over them carefully, editing details to make the story flow better. I think my writing has gotten way better in the past two years, my characterizations of the boys as well, and I hope this Unclaimed: Redux reflects that. 
> 
> Chapter warnings, when necessary, will appear here.
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> ~Thali

“You’re not the sub I want. You’re not the man I thought you were.” The words echoed through Kurt Hummel’s head as he walked toward the theatre. He couldn’t let anyone know he was officially unclaimed. He couldn’t let anyone know he was alone. And he certainly couldn’t tell anyone, especially not his brand-new co-stars, that he was homeless. He tugged his sleeve down further, hoping to cover the fact that he was no longer wearing the wrist cuff that had been a part of him for nearly six years.

His phone buzzed with a new text message. He ignored it, until it buzzed a second, and then a third time. He slowly removed the phone from his pocket, and couldn’t help but smile. It was Blaine, his best friend. When they’d met, everyone had said that a Dom and sub couldn’t be just friends. But they had been. For nearly eight years. Through high school, university, and into their careers; Kurt currently getting ready to originate a show just off Broadway. Now, they seldom had time to do more than have coffee together, but it worked for them. The dynamic had always worked for them.

Hey handsome. That first message made Kurt smile.

Meet me for coffee after your rehearsal tonight? The second message made him grin.

If Dave is cool with it, of course. The third message made him frown.

Kurt instructed the phone to call Blaine. “What’s up?” he asked.

“Not a thing,” Blaine Anderson said cheerfully. “Just wanted to see my best friend. Will Dave let you meet me for coffee after your rehearsal?” He knew it was a long shot.

“Yeah, sure. Dave is…he’s having a boys’ night tonight and doesn’t really want me around. Any chance I could crash at your place tonight? I hate to ask, but…” He hated lying to Blaine, but he couldn’t tell him over the phone.

“You’re welcome to sleep at our place tonight. You know that. Meet me at our coffee shop at ten? I‘m working late and thought I‘d just stop by on my way home. Our way home, I suppose now.”

“Sounds like a plan. I’ll see you at ten. I’m at the theatre. I’ll talk to you after rehearsal.” He hung up the phone. At least he wouldn’t be at a shelter tonight. One more day of having his job. His starring role. He wouldn’t be able to wait too much longer to make a decision. It wouldn’t be fair to the ensemble to get used to a new leading man only weeks before they opened. 

Subs weren’t allowed leading roles on Broadway. Or even off-Broadway. At least, unclaimed subs weren’t. He’d be forced into being a janitor, or a barista, at best, if it were found out that he didn’t have a Dom. He needed to find someone, and fast. But the thought of putting himself out there, of submitting to someone he didn’t at least care about, it was too much to comprehend. 

He had thirty-six hours from the moment of separation to register with the ministry as an unclaimed. He could argue that, since Dave had let him stay in the house the night before, giving him time to pack a few belongings, and a place to stay the night, his timer hadn’t started until that morning, but he wasn’t sure what time Dave would give the ministry, and that would be the official time they’d count from. If he didn’t appear to register by nine a.m. the next morning, he would begin accruing fines that could never be paid off at a menial job. He’d practically be indentured. And he didn’t want to envision that life. It was pure drudgery, sometimes eighteen hour days, with almost everything he made taken by the ministry. Kurt had never lived that life, but he knew people who had. 

Kurt shook off his ruminations as he stepped into the theatre, walking to the side of the stage and setting down his things, gathering a bottle of water and his script from his bag, and walked quickly over to the rest of the cast, a forced bounce in his step.

Rehearsal went well. When asked about the gold cuff missing from his wrist, Kurt explained that his wonderful Dom had sent it out for re-plating, and he wouldn’t have it back for another few days. He lied through his teeth. It was accepted. His role was secure. For now. Hopefully Blaine would know of a decent Dom looking for a sub. 

He was barely holding onto his sanity when he stepped into the coffee shop that had been ‘their place’ during their university days. Blaine was already seated and had two steaming cups sitting in front of him. 

Dropping his small, tightly packed duffle bag next to the table, Kurt gratefully took the empty seat across from Blaine, claiming the cup he nudged toward him. “Thank you,” he breathed.

“Tough day?” Blaine asked softly.

“You have no idea,” Kurt said. He took a long sip of his coffee, his sleeve falling back from his wrist as he tilted the cup to his mouth.

“Where is…” Blaine’s face lost all color. “Kurt, where is your cuff?”

Tugging the sleeve back down, Kurt looked around, making sure no one was within hearing distance. “Dave, took it back,” he said quietly. “I need…Blaine, I just got this role. I managed to play it off that he was having it replated, but I can’t do that forever.”

“Tell me what happened,” Blaine instructed firmly.

Kurt nodded. “I’ve been out late, with rehearsals and everything, but I swear, I came home every single night right after we broke. I mean, straight from the theatre to home. No detours, no stops for drinks with the cast, they understood. He’s demanding. But it wasn’t good enough. It was never good enough. Daily, he became more and more suspicious of me…questioning me, asking me who I was seeing. Demanding every detail of every coffee we shared. He…” Kurt sighed, looking down at his hands.

“Oh, Kurt,” Blaine reached across the table, squeezing Kurt‘s hand. “He didn’t…Kurt, tell me he never hit you in anger, please.” Spankings were one thing. Slapping, punching, anything Kurt didn’t consent to, that wasn’t contractual, was abuse.

“Never,” Kurt confirmed. “He threatened a few times, but he never actually raised an angry hand to me. I tried to make it work, but it wasn’t enough. No matter what. I’m too free-spirited for a Dom like him, he couldn’t control me. I’m such a bad sub…” He moved around the table when Blaine opened his arms, leaning his head against his friend’s chest.

“No, Kurt,” Blaine murmured, pressing gentle kisses to Kurt’s hair. “Not at all. You’re just you. You’re special. And you need a special type of Dom to take care of you.”

“Do you know anyone?” Kurt asked against his shoulder, not able to meet Blaine’s eyes. “Anyone decent, who won’t mind that I’m the lead in an off-Broadway play? Blaine, do you know any Doms who are currently looking for a sub? Even short term? I don’t…I have to report to the ministry by tomorrow morning, and they’ll put me in one of those little studios again.” Housing for unclaimed submissives was in large buildings of boarding house type rooms. Four ‘studios’ shared a bathroom and kitchen, but had their own locking entrances. Kurt had only lived in one for a total of six months after turning eighteen, but he didn’t relish the thought of returning. “Will you go with me to the ministry?”

Blaine could feel his heart breaking at the request. “Of course I will. But let’s go back to my place,” he said. “I’ll send a few emails, ask a few friends. Maybe Seb knows someone.”

Sebastian. Blaine’s sub. They’d been together literally forever. One couldn’t claim a sub before the sub turned 16, but was expected to have one by the Dom’s eighteenth birthday. At 18 all unclaimed submissives moved from their parents’ home into the social boarding houses, with few exceptions. The rules for Doms were less strict, but in an effort to ensure that Sebastian was taken care of, Blaine had claimed him on the latter’s 16th birthday, as arranged by their parents. They’d been together ever since.

When he’d met Kurt two months after claiming Sebastian, on the staircase at Dalton Academy, Blaine had been struck by the submissive’s innate beauty. Had he not already claimed Sebastian, he would have immediately asked for Kurt’s submission. He and Sebastian were good enough together. They’d been friends practically since birth, and when their designations came back as Dom and sub, their parents arranged that they would be together, two privileged boys sharing a life. They’d developed into something comfortable, and Kurt could see that Blaine genuinely loved his sub.

Kurt hadn’t been so lucky. While his father had offered to help him find a Dom, every one they’d found had been female, or a straight male. And while not all Dom/sub relationships were sexual, most were, and Kurt knew no female would ever be happy with him as a submissive, so he hadn’t even considered it.

So, on the day after his eighteenth birthday, he’d moved from his father’s home to the tiny little room. The entire room, supposed to be living room, dining room, bedroom, was smaller than his bedroom at home had been. Thankfully, Burt Hummel had consented to let Kurt leave as many of his belongings at home as he needed to, and Kurt spent more nights at the Hummel house than in the studio, only spending the bare minimum of time in the tiny room. Burt Hummel didn’t agree with it, wanting his submissive son at home to finish his high school career, but Ohio was strict on the rules. So Kurt spent his weeknights at home, where he could do his homework under his dad’s watchful eye, and his weekend nights in the studio, where he didn’t have any Dominant to watch out for him. 

Kurt might have been comfortable living without a Dominant if it weren’t for two things. The size of his ‘home’, and the fact that he’d gotten into New York’s most prestigious theatre school. When he got the acceptance letter, and read the requirements, it was Blaine’s shoulder he cried on. He had to have a Dominant. He had to have one, or give up his dream. Blaine canvassed everyone he knew. No one was going to New York, and those that were had submissives of their own, and hadn’t been in those relationships long enough to consider a second submissive. It seemed hopeless, unless Kurt were willing to take out an ad. And he wasn’t that desperate. He’d rather defer a year than be claimed by a stranger.

It was just after his high school graduation, when Kurt was getting ready to turn down his acceptance to the school, that Kurt had been claimed by David Karofsky, who had finally come out of the closet. And while things hadn’t exactly been passionate between them, they had been good enough. And Kurt had been the obedient sub he’d been trained to be. Or at least, he’d tried to be. But as an opinionated and outspoken near-Broadway actor, Kurt hadn’t been able to rein it all in the way he’d been expected to. Truly, it was amazing that they’d lasted as long as they had. Four years of school for Kurt in New York City, two years for Dave, who had simply gotten an Associate’s Degree in business then gone to work. Kurt had finished his theatre arts degree, and had spent the last two years of the program, as well as the two years since, in workshops for Success! which had finally found backers, and a cast of relative unknowns. It was his dream, originating a role in a theatre just off Broadway. And to be sharing the spotlight with someone from high school, Miss Rachel Berry, was unheard of. People from the same high school didn’t get cast in the same play right out of college. It just didn’t happen.

“Kurt?” Blaine asked.

“Hmm?” Kurt startled from his reverie. 

“I said we should go to my place and see if we can figure something out before you have to report to the ministry,” Blaine said. “Worst case scenario, stop-gap measure, I or one of my friends claims you as a second sub until we find someone unattached.” He knew of at least two that would do it for them, the longer he thought about it.

“What?” Kurt asked. “But...”

“But nothing. You aren’t going into a studio. Get your coffee and your bag.”

Automatically, Kurt stood, gathering his things. He followed Blaine from the coffee shop without question. They walked side-by-side, their steps in sync, toward the sky scraping apartment building that housed Blaine and Sebastian.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please review, if only to tell me you read it, I'm not expecting in-depth reviews on this story because it's already been posted. :)
> 
> Cheers!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter. The length of chapters may or may not follow the original. Minor edits in this chapter.

The doorman held the door and then called the elevator. Kurt and Blaine stepped onto the elevator, with Blaine nodding at a couple who stepped on with them. The woman’s gold wrist bangle shone faintly in the dim elevator light. She kept her eyes on the floor, studying the leather shoes her Dom wore. They stepped off on the eighteenth floor, the woman following as closely behind the man as she would if she were wearing a collar and leash. 

The elevator continued up to the sixtieth floor, and they stepped off directly into the shared foyer of Blaine’s luxury apartment, only two apartments shared the elevator on that floor. The shorter man pulled his keys smoothly from his pocket and unlocked the front door. “Seb? I’m home!” He paused, hearing noises from deep inside the apartment. “Seb?” He held out a hand to stop Kurt, then brought a finger to his mouth, directing him to stay silent. 

Kurt, for his part, set his bag against the wall and stood, silently, just inside the door to the apartment.

Blaine strode down the hall, pushing open his bedroom door. “What the fuck?” he exclaimed. “Sebastian Smythe, you have about five seconds to get dressed and get the fuck out of my apartment!” 

Kurt’s eyes went wide, and he moved toward the kitchen, not hiding, but wanting to be out of the line of fire.

“And you!” Blaine was obviously yelling at someone new. “If it weren’t sixty stories to the ground, I’d throw you out a window! You‘ve caused more than enough trouble already!” He strode out of the bedroom and back into the living room. “Kurt, go into the music room and stay there until I come to get you. Please.”

Without a word or question, Kurt walked down the hall and into the room Blaine had indicated, shutting the door behind him. He sat down at the piano, staring at the keys, tracing over the ivory lengths. 

“Get out. Get out and don’t look back.”

“You can’t do this to me, Blaine! It was a mistake…he…it was…rape!”

“Bullshit. I saw how much you were enjoying that. I don’t want to hear it, Sebastian. You don’t get second chances from me. Fucking around is a hard limit. You know that. It doesn’t matter to me that your parents practically sold you to mine. We’ve been together a long time, but no more.” It was obvious that Blaine wasn’t buying the story of coercion.

“But I…”

“See if your boyfriend will take you in, though since you just accused him of rape I highly doubt that‘ll happen. See if your mom will let you join her patriarchy, now that you’re not saddled with me anymore. Or go live in a studio. I don’t care, Sebastian. Just get the fuck out of my house!”

The front door slammed, and footsteps strode down the hall. “Kurt?” came Blaine’s tentative, unsure voice. All signs of anger were gone.

“I’m in here, Blaine,” Kurt said. He stood up from the piano, turning to face the door as it opened.

“Well,” Blaine said. “As I’m sure you could tell, I just found Sebastian in my bed with another man. Another Dom, to be precise.”

“And you told them to go,” Kurt said. “Are you alright?”

“I will be. As soon as I report...” Blaine’s eyes widened. “Kurt…I just…” He broke into a smile. “And this solves your problem. I don’t have a sub. You don’t have a Dom.”

“We…” Kurt shook his head, involuntarily backing away. The submissive’s eyes were wide. “No. Blaine…you…no.”

“No!” Blaine shook his head, mirroring Kurt’s. “Just…just for appearances. I can’t…you’re my best friend, and sub or not, I don’t know if I could Dominate you. But…you need a place to live. So…we go down tomorrow, and register. You move in here. We’ll change this room into what we’ll tell everyone is a guest room, and you can sleep here, and you can keep your role, and…” he trailed off. “You don’t like that idea?”

Kurt was looking at him, eyes wide. “Blaine Anderson…you are…unbelievable.” He pressed his lips together. “Can…can we do this quietly?” he asked. “I just don’t want anyone to make a big deal of it...and you know some people will.”

Blaine nodded. “Of course,” he said. “Since we’ve both been through a claiming before, it’s not necessary to go through the pomp and ceremony again. Not that you really had it the first time, but…I feel like my parents married me to Sebastian when I was only sixteen.” He shuddered slightly. “Can you believe he was fucking D-that Dom, in my bed, with my cuff still on his wrist?”

“It sounded like you knew the guy. Who was it?” Kurt asked.

“It doesn’t matter,” Blaine said firmly. 

“It matters to you,” Kurt said quietly. “Please, won’t you tell me? Let me help you?”

“It doesn’t matter, Kurt. Now, play me something pretty?” he gestured to the piano.

Kurt sat down on the bench, automatically obeying the direction without thought. “Play with me?” he asked, patting the bench beside himself. He started out the simple intro at the left hand side of the piano and Blaine slid cleanly into the melody to ‘Heart and Soul’.

By the end of the song, both men were laughing so hard they couldn’t continue, wrong notes being played more often than correct ones. 

Kurt stopped playing, going to tapping one key repeatedly, softly. “Who was it?” he asked quietly.

Blaine looked Kurt in the eye, going suddenly solemn. “It was Dave,” he said simply. “I sent you in here to wait it out because your former Dom was fucking my sub, in my bed, after throwing you out on your ass with barely enough to clothe it!”

“Oh.” Kurt looked thoughtful. “Sub swap?” he asked, trying to bring some levity to the situation.

“It’ll be the next reality craze,” Blaine leaned heavily against Kurt, laughing bitterly. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” Kurt said. “I’m more worried about you...”

“I’ll survive,” Blaine said. “It hurts, I’m not going to lie, but it happened, and I have to work through it. I’m a Dom, I don’t have the biological compulsion to be with someone, to please someone...are you going to be okay?”

“Yeah...Dave and I…we hadn’t been getting along for awhile. I was hoping it wouldn’t come to this, that we could find common ground, but he couldn’t handle me and Broadway. Off-Broadway. I’m hoping you can.”

“You’d better believe it. As your Dom, I’m entitled to front-row tickets for opening night, right?”

“I think I can get that added to my contract. Dave couldn’t have cared less.” Kurt smiled sadly. “Are you sure we can do this?” he asked, twisting his hands together.

“What’s got you so worried?” Blaine asked.

“I just…what if one of us finds someone new?” Kurt asked. “We’re best friends. You’re doing this to help me. But what if one of us finds someone else? I don’t want to lose your friendship…”

“Oh, Kurt,” Blaine smiled at him, squeezing his hand. “Nothing could make me stop caring about you. You’re my best friend, you have been since the day we met. We’re going to have to do this with complete honesty. I don’t expect you to stop looking for a Dom who will fulfill you, who will give you what you need. You find someone else, you come to me. We talk it through. You decide if you’re just looking for fun, or if you want a new claim. But don’t keep it from me, okay? The moment you meet someone that might be better for you, let me know. We’ll work through it, as long as there are no secrets, no lies.”

“And you?” Kurt asked. “What if you meet someone?”

“Same rules apply. I’ll tell you if I even meet someone, before I even know if it’s going anywhere. It’s a little easier for me, since I could just claim a second sub, but this is uncharted territory, Kurt, we’ll have to muddle through together.”

Kurt nodded. “Alright. I can accept that,” he said. “We’re really going to do this, aren’t we…”

“Only if you want to,” Blaine said. “Because I’m going to have to treat you a little differently in public. Not here, of course, but when we’re out together in public…”

“I know,” Kurt said. “It’ll be okay. Um…” he pushed up his sleeve. “Should we…”

“I want to disinfect it first,” Blaine said.

“Why?” Kurt asked. “Not like he was fucking anyone I haven’t…”

“Don’t remind me,” Blaine dead-panned. “I’m still cleaning it. Then I’ll put it on you, and it’s NEVER coming off!” He took in Kurt’s pale face. “I’m kidding, Kurt.”

“Oh. Yes, I know. Okay. Well, it’s been a long and stressful day, and I’m thinking I want a drink, and your couch. In that order.”

“That can be arranged. Go pour whatever you like, and one for me. I need to go strip my bed.”

“Yeah. Do you want to burn the mattress?”

“Maybe tomorrow. Tonight I want sleep.”

Together, they left the room and walked back into the main area of the gorgeously appointed apartment. Kurt walked over to the wet bar in the corner. “Rum and Diet Coke okay with you?” he asked.

“Like I said, pour me whatever you’re having,” Blaine said. 

“Yes, sir,” Kurt said with a cheeky grin.

“I like the sound of that.”

“Don’t even think about it, Anderson.”

Blaine walked through the door at the side of the living room, laughing all the while. He came back out only a few moments later with a bundle of sheets under one arm, and took the offered glass of dark liquid. “Mmm, thank you, Kurt,” he said, taking a long sip. He set the glass down and continued to the laundry room.

Once the machine was humming softly, Blaine pulled fresh sheets and a blanket out of a closet and walked to the couch, setting them down on the end. “There,” he said. “Drink, and couch. In that order.”

Kurt smiled. “Thank you,” he said. He was sipping slowly on his drink. “Is there anything else I can get you?” he asked.

“No, I’m good,” Blaine said. He took a seat on the couch next to Kurt. “What are you thinking about?”

“Nothing.”

“C’mon, Kurt, you’re being incredibly quiet over there. Tell me what’s on your mind.”

Kurt sighed. “I’m thinking about the fact that you could find yourself a sub who would actually…would actually be a sub to you. It wouldn’t take you five minutes to find someone.”

Blaine shook his head. “I don’t want just anyone,” he said. “For now, I’ll settle for having my best friend here with me.” 

Kurt smiled. “Alright,” he said. “I’ll accept that, for now.” He leaned his head against Blaine’s shoulder. “Another drink?” he asked.

“Sure. You pour. I’m going to go put some pajamas on. Bring the drinks into my room, and we’ll watch a movie on the TV in there.”

“Sounds good.” Kurt refreshed their drinks and carried them down the hall to the bedroom. He retrieved his duffle bag, and ducked into the bathroom to change into yoga pants and a tank top to sleep in.

“You can just sleep here for tonight,” Blaine offered. He’d remade the bed with fresh sheets. “After tonight, I don’t really want to sleep alone.”

Kurt took that at face value. They were best friends. “Alright, fair enough. What are we watching?”

“When Harry Met Sally,” Blaine said. “Hope you don’t mind.”

“Not at all. But I get to be Meg Ryan.”

“Of course.”

Kurt settled onto the side of the bed Blaine indicated, sitting cross-legged and sipping his drink. He quickly became immersed in the movie, losing himself in the story. By the end, having stopped the movie for another two drink breaks, Kurt was sound asleep, sprawled across the bed. 

Having had an emotional day, Blaine simply shifted Kurt under the covers and slid in next to him. Both men slept soundly until the next morning when the alarm went off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Due to a comment left, I decided it's probably time to stop being lazy and finish editing this story. Please note, the entire original work is still on the GleeDSM meme, at the link given in the story notes. I want all my works in one place, so I'm (VERY) slowly migrating them.
> 
> Cheers!

“Ugh,” Kurt mumbled. “I feel like…” He sat up, looking around, momentarily confused. “Oh. Right. Morning.”

“Good morning.” Blaine smiled. “Feel free to freshen up in the bathroom. We’re leaving for the ministry in about an hour.”

Kurt took a shower, not allowing himself to think about what he could be getting into. He dressed in one of the few outfits he had, forever thankful that the majority of his belongings were at his father’s house. 

The two men were about to walk out the door when Kurt faltered. “Blaine? I need the cuff,” he said quietly.

“Oh, of course!” Blaine exclaimed. He walked back into the bedroom, coming out with the gold bracelet. He clipped it onto Kurt’s wrist, locking it with the key he wore on a chain around his neck. “Better?”

“It’s beautiful,” Kurt murmured, twisting it on his wrist. It really was. Ornately decorated, with swirls and lines covering the shaped surface. There was a stylized ‘A’ opposite the clasp.

“My parents bought it for us as a claiming gift,” Blaine said. “When they find out about this, there’s likely going to be some backlash. Not at you or me, but the Smythe family will likely have to pay.”

“Pay?”

“Ours was an arranged claiming, as you know. Complete with payment, a dowry of sorts. My parents paid his a hefty sum to ensure that…indiscretions like last night never happened.” Blaine shook his head. “I haven’t called my mother yet. I should probably do that…” His phone began to buzz, and he laughed shortly. “Speak of the devil. Hello, mother.”

“Blaine, darling, what’s going on? Madeline Smythe just called here, frantic, saying you‘d thrown her son out with absolutely nothing.”

“I walked in on Sebastian with another man, in our bed last night,” Blaine explained calmly. “So I kicked him and the other guy out. I let him get dressed first, he took some clothes, and in a few days, when I‘ve calmed down, I‘ll gather the rest of his things and have them delivered to him.”

“Oh, sweetheart, I’m so sorry to hear that. Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, Mom,” Blaine smiled. He reached over and squeezed Kurt’s hand. “You remember Kurt Hummel, my friend from high school?”

“Oh, that adorable cutie with the big blue eyes?” Rosalee Anderson asked. 

“Yes, that’s the one.”

“How is he?”

“He’s doing alright. His Dom was the one Sebastian was in bed with. So, to keep him from going to a studio, I invited him to live here, as my claimed submissive. We’re not together, together, but...”

“But for safety’s sake, and in order to keep your sweet friend out of one of those awful homes, you took him in. That was a good idea. Yours? Or his?”

“Totally mine,” Blaine said with a hint of pride. “And Kurt accepted. I’m sorry, though, I know this isn’t what you wanted for me.”

“Sweetheart, Blaine, all your father and I ever wanted was for you to be happy. I’m just sorry that our arrangement for you didn’t result in your happiness.”

“It’s okay, mom. I’m going to take it easy for awhile, keep Kurt safe, did I tell you he just got a starring role in an off-Broadway show? Anyway, he and I are going to find our friendship again. Dave, his ex-Dom, got kinda jealous this last year or so and quick cups of coffee were just about all we ever got to see each other. But, anyway, we have to go register with the ministry before they show up at our door..”

“I’m going to have to insist on tickets to that show. And that you and Kurt come up to dinner some time this week.”

“Kurt has constant rehearsals at the theatre,” Blaine said. “But you and father are more than welcome to come down and join us here, and I‘ll talk to him about those tickets.”

“I’ll discuss it with your father. It may be a few weeks before we’re able to get away. You take care, sweetheart. I’ll deal with the Smythes. I’m just glad you’re safe and happy.”

Blaine laughed. “Thanks, Mom. Me, too.”

“Call me if you boys need anything. I’ll transfer some money to your account so you boys can buy yourselves a proper claiming gift. I wish I could be there to do it for you, but business is booming and I’m just too busy. I’m sorry, sweetheart.”

“You don’t need to do that, mom.”

“Yes, I do. Make sure your little friend has beautiful clothes befitting his status as a kept submissive of an Anderson, or buy yourselves new beds so you don’t have to sleep where Sebastian did. Whatever you need. I’ll call you this afternoon, alright?”

“Alright, mom. Thanks. I love you.”

“Love you too, sweetie.”

Blaine smiled sheepishly at Kurt after he hung up the phone. “Moms,” he said with a laugh.  
Hope you don’t mind that I didn’t go into details about what happened to you.”

“No, thank you for keeping that between us,” Kurt said. “Ugh, I have to call Dad.”

“He never liked Dave anyway.”

“No,” Kurt agreed. He pulled out his own phone as they walked to the elevator, waiting to dial until they reached the ground floor. 

“Hummel-Hudson Tire and Lube, Finn Hudson speaking.”

“Hey, Finn, it’s Kurt. Is Dad there?”

“No, he’s at home today.”

“Home? Is everything okay?” Kurt looked at Blaine, his eyes wide. Blaine squeezed his hand silently.

“Yeah, dude,” Finn said. “I convinced him that he only has to work three days a week now. So he’s only here on the weekends.”

“Oh,” Kurt said. “Good. I’ll call him at home.”

“Is everything okay?” Finn asked.

“Yeah. I just moved yesterday. Wanted to give him my new address.”

“Oh, man. Did Dave dump you? Are you back in a room?”

“It’s a long story, Finn, but I’m now living in a beautiful, huge apartment in Lower Manhattan. Don’t worry about me. I’m going to be fine.”

“Oh. Cool. Yeah. Burt’s at home. You should call him.”

“Take care of yourself,” Kurt said. He hung up the phone. “Dad’s at home. That was Finn.”

“I gathered,” Blaine said dryly, having heard Kurt’s side of the conversation. He hailed a cab as Kurt called his dad. They slid into the back seat of the taxi, and Blaine directed the driver to take them to the ministry.

“Hey, bud,” Burt Hummel answered the phone. “Are you alright?” he asked.

“I’m fine, dad, why do you ask?”

“Dave sent me an email last night saying you’d run away, and he was demanding your return. I just read it a few minutes ago.”

“What?” Kurt laughed. “Dad, Dave kicked me out two days ago, and last night, Blaine found him in bed with Sebastian. He wants me back? Not a chance!”

“But you’re okay? Do you need help moving?”

“No, but I will be coming home if I can in the next few weeks to gather some things. Blaine kicked Sebastian out last night and asked me to stay.”

“Wait. You’re now with your friend? This is all a bit confusing.”

“I needed a place to live. Blaine no longer had a sub. It was a win-win situation. We’re…he’s been my best friend since I was sixteen, Dad. It’s going to work out just fine.”

“Alright,” Burt said. “As long as you’re certain.”

“I’m certain I don’t want to ever have to live in one of those little studios again,” Kurt said. “That’s what I’m certain of. And Blaine and I…”

“We work well together, Mr. Hummel,” Blaine said, leaning over to speak into the phone. “I’ll take care of him. I promise.”

“You’d better,” Burt said. “Can I talk to him a minute, Kurt?”

Kurt handed over the phone. “He wants to talk to you.”

Blaine took the phone. “Yes, sir?” he asked.

“None of that ‘sir’ crap,” Burt said. “Now you listen, and you listen good. My boy needs stability. He needs someone who isn’t going to dump him off on the ministry the moment he gets mouthy. Because he’s going to get mouthy. So unless you’re going to be what Kurt needs, regardless of any arrangement between you two, unless you’re going to be that man, let him go now, before he gets too attached.”

“I understand. Kurt and I have a lot to work out. But I’m not planning on this being a short-term thing, no matter what he thinks of my chances of attracting a suitable submissive are,” Blaine smiled. “Don’t worry, Mr. Hummel. I’m going to take care of him, give him what he needs.”

Kurt grabbed the phone. “Anyway, there ya go. I’m safe, not living in a studio, and you can go back to your happy little semi-retired life. How’s Carole?”

“She’s great, kid. Still working hard, five shifts a week. I keep trying to get her to cut back, but she just can’t stand the thought of just puttering around the house. But son, please, be careful. I’m here if you need anything.”

“I know you are. Thanks Dad. I’ll talk to you soon, gotta go, we’re at the ministry.” Kurt hung up the phone.

“Don’t be so rude to your dad,” Blaine said as they stepped out of the taxi. “He only has your best interests at heart.”

Kurt looked sheepish. “Yeah, I’ll apologize later.”

“Good idea,” Blaine bumped his side playfully. “Let’s go.” He led the way into the ministry and up to the third floor, where the registrations occurred. After standing in a fairly long line, they filled out what felt like reams of paperwork, and then finally got to speak to an agent.

“Alright, you’re almost finished,” the woman said to Blaine. “We’ve recorded ten-thirty last night as the time you severed your previous claiming, and then eleven p.m. as the official beginning of this current claiming.”

“Great!” Blaine exclaimed. “Can we go?”

“Not quite. While your current claim began at eleven p.m. last night, your submissive’s previous Dominant recorded his voluntary departure as nine a.m. two days previously. There’s the small matter of the fine for not reporting until twelve hours after the appointed time, and the fine for continuing to work a non-sub job while unclaimed.”

“What?” Kurt exclaimed.

“Hush,” Blaine said, placing a hand on Kurt’s shoulder. “I’ll deal with this. Ma’am, there seems to be a discrepancy. While it is true I let Kurt stay the night with me last night without registering the claiming, he spent the previous night at Mr. Karofsky’s residence. And he’s told me that the disagreement that led to his cuff being forcibly removed didn’t happen until nine p.m. two nights ago, not nine a.m.”

“I see. So nine a.m. today would make for the thirty-six hour mark being right now,” she said. “And the dissolution wasn’t voluntary. There’s still the matter of Mr. Hummel’s work.”

“It was one practice!” Kurt exclaimed. “That’s all!”

“Kurt, I told you to be quiet,” Blaine said. “You can take your knees if you can’t keep your mouth shut.”

“Yes, sir,” Kurt said. He looked down at his feet.

Blaine looked back at the woman behind the counter. “Kurt went to one practice for his off-Broadway play,” he said quietly. “And he’d already made plans to meet with me afterwards, knowing that I have several friends who are unattached Dominants. Had the unfortunate incident with Sebastian not occurred, I would have placed him with someone new by this morning.”

She sighed. “Mr. Anderson, I’m going to have to do a lot of research to find out which of the pair, Mr. Karofsky or Mr. Hummel, is being deceptive. So unless the fines are paid, there will be interest accruing, if they are indeed owed. Now, it’s in your best interest to arrange to pay the fines, and we will refund the money if you are entitled to it.”

Blaine nodded, and handed over his credit card. “Very well,” he said. “But I expect an itemized receipt.” He held up a hand to Kurt. “Not a word.”

“Mr. Anderson, you do know there are classes to retrain headstrong subs, do you not?” she asked as she processed the payment.

“Kurt and I are still figuring out how we work best together,” Blaine said. “I’ll keep those classes in mind, though.” He signed the receipt and took his copy. “We’re finished here?” he asked.

“Yes, Mr. Anderson. May this claim be long-lived and fruitful.”

“Thank you.” Blaine nodded toward the door. “Let’s go,” he said quietly. He led Kurt out of the building, quickly hailing another taxi. “We have to change your address with the theatre, and what else?” he asked as they slid into the back seat.

“Am I allowed to speak now?” Kurt asked.

Blaine laughed. “Of course you are,” he said. “It’s just in the ministry that I wish you’d act with a little more decorum.”

“Blaine, they charged you….a lot of money to take me on as a sub! I’m not supposed to be outraged at that?”

“You’re supposed to let me handle these things,” Blaine said quietly. “I am your Dom, regardless of our arrangement. That means, to the ministry, to the government, I speak for you.”

Kurt nodded. “I’m sorry, Blaine,” he said.

“It’s alright. We’ll adjust. Let’s go home and start moving stuff around. We’ll go to your dad’s in a week or so and get more of your things, when you have a break, and I’ll buy you a bed this afternoon.”

“You don’t have to,” Kurt said. “I can sleep on the couch until we go back to my dad’s.”

“Or you can stay with me. Last night was nice,” Blaine said. “And it is a rather large bed.”

“And very comfortable,” Kurt said. “Alright. But just as friends.”

“Just as friends,” Blaine confirmed. The rest of the ride back to their building was in comfortable silence, and Blaine paid the cab driver before guiding Kurt back up to their luxurious apartment.

“I called in sick to work today so we could work things out, but starting tomorrow, I’m back to the agency, and you’re back to the theatre.”

Kurt nodded. “Of course,” he said. “I lied to my co-stars last night,” he said. “Thankfully, Rachel was with the voice coach, so she didn’t actually see me, but I have to come up with something.” Rachel Berry had one of the female leads in the new musical Success! which they were originating just off-Broadway. 

Blaine thought for a moment. “Well,” he said. “You told them the cuff was out being replated. Tell them Dave told you it was being replated. But in reality, he was having an affair, and you came home last night to find your things packed and on the sidewalk. You called me, I invited you over, we found that Sebastian was the one Dave was having the affair with, we decided to go through a claiming in order to keep your job. That’s why you’re wearing my cuff and not Dave’s, and why you weren’t wearing a cuff last night.”

“Wow. How often do you lie like that?” Kurt asked.

“I’m in advertising, Kurt. It’s my job to lie. But it’s not strictly a lie. More like a…reworking of the facts. And I’m only doing it because you lied first.”

“In order to keep my job!” Kurt exclaimed.

“Shh, it’s okay,” Blaine smiled. “Do you have anything else at Dave’s place we need to go get?” he asked.

“Some clothes, but I’m certain he’s tossed them by now. Or Sebastian has. It’s not a big deal, Blaine.”

“Not a big deal?” Blaine frowned. “What happened to the Kurt Hummel who wouldn’t wear the same outfit twice in a month?”

“He was claimed by David Karofsky,” Kurt said quietly. “I’m not worried about it. I’ll pick up some things when we go visit my family, and I’ll be good to go. The fashions will be out of date, but at least I’ll have something to wear. I’ll be fine, Blaine.”

“Let’s go shopping today,” Blaine said suddenly. “I haven’t had the Kurt Hummel shopping experience since high school, and Sebastian was always along then.”

“I don’t have the money to spend,” Kurt demurred.

“Did I say anything about your money?” Blaine asked. “Mom said she was transferring money to my account for a claiming gift. I couldn’t talk her out of it. So let me take you clothes shopping. It’s the least I can do.”

Kurt frowned. “Shouldn’t that money go to pay all the fines I incurred because Dave is a lying, manipulative bastard?” he asked.

“Stop questioning me,” Blaine directed, softening the order with a smile. “Let’s go. I want to see you happy, Kurt.”

Kurt nodded. “Alright,” he said. “Let’s go.”


End file.
